Heartless People |Book 3|

Chapter 10

"Some soap opera, you know, real people pretending to be fake people with made-up problems

Being watched by real people to forget their real problems."

—Chuck Palahniuk

JENNIE

I watched as the technical personnel adjusted their cameras once again, anxious to get this "interview" started. To my left, I could feel Lisa's eyes glaring at the man whose name and title I'd already forgotten, as he tweaked the wireless microphone on my chest. I could practically see the countdown ticking away in Lisa's mind. If this guy didn't get it right soon, he was guaranteed to lose his head.

"It's quite alright, I've got it," I said to him, as I took matters into my own hands by pinning it to my dress myself.

"Okay, great." He smiled, completely oblivious to the fact that I only interrupted his grabby hands because I happened to like this outfit, and because Lisa would've undoubtedly made a scene if the guy remained had that close to me any longer.

"You can breathe now," I whispered over to Lisa, covering the microphone as I spoke.

Fixing her tie, she pretending not to notice. "I have no idea what you're referring to."

Yeah, okay.

The reporter from CNN, Mary Sue, as I referred to her, looked more nervous than anyone else in our backyard. We wanted the interview done at home but we kept the servants around to make sure that no wandered off. She was checking over everything, from lighting to her note cards one last time.

"Are you both ready?"

Are you?

"Do your worst," Lisa smiled, giving her a small wink. She was laying it on so thick that the girl seemed unable to speak.

"Take that as an invitation to question her about this dirty secrets...including her addiction to Jell-O." I smiled, trying to get her to relax. If she wasn't calm, then this entire thing would go to shit, and I refused to be subjected to another round of a million and five fucking questions. We needed the public to love, if not worship, us.

"I am not addicted to Jell-O." She turned to me, looking confused as to why I would bring it up, though the smile on her face was real. She turned to Mary who grinned at us. "I am not addicted to Jell-O."

"It's horrible. Poor Ethan has to hide some under his pillow."

"Ethan can't hide anything. Plus, he only eats applesauce."

"That's because there's no Jell-O left."

"And we're on in 3, 2..." the producer pointed to Mary as the camera moved in closer.

"We'll talk about this later," Lisa whispered to me.

Rolling my eyes, I focused on Mary who had managed to remain calm and steady as she spoke while looking into the camera.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Today I will be sitting with Ms. And Mrs. Manoban for the first time since her disappearance and her arrest." The camera focused on us and so did she as Lisa took my hand into her. "Ms. And Mrs. Manoban, I just have to start off with 'wow.'"

"We know," I said with a smile before glancing at Lisa. "Believe me, we know."

"Mrs. Manoban, from what we have gathered so far, all of this started with you getting a simple text message?"

"Yes." The simplest lie worked the best. "I cannot speak too much on it due to the ongoing investigation, which is so odd for me to say. But what I can say is that I got a text message from a suspected terrorist organization that seemed to be corresponding with a colleague. Our numbers were only one digit off."